RFL Championship contenders set for major funding issue with meeting called

Toulouse Olympique, after finishing second in the RFL Championship, now have a real financial problem as a result of new proposals.

Their 2024 season was full of “nearly” moments, finishing second in the regular season, losing the Grand Final and finishing just one spot off the top 12 in the IMG gradings, meaning they couldn’t have been any closer to being in Super League.

However, that Grand Final was a resounding 36-0 defeat to Wakefield Trinity, a disappointing end to the campaign.

Being just behind Salford Red Devils will have been particularly frustrating too for the French side, as the Red Devils are in a bad financial situation themselves – as well as their struggles surrounding the Salford Community Stadium.

RFL Championship contenders Toulouse set for major funding issue

However, it’s now being reported that Toulouse could be set for a real financial problem.

Being the only non-English side in the competition is a financial stress that Catalans Dragons know about all too well, but Toulouse, as a result of missing out on a return to the Super League, are having to work with this without the Super League TV deal money, and other cashflows that don’t come outside of the top division.

Now, La Dépêche in France is reporting that there’s set to be a reduction in central funding for sport in the city of Toulouse, from the City Hall.

They also suggest that due to low ticket sales, the club is currently being kept afloat by sponsors and what it calls “public aid”, but if they can’t rely on aid from local government anymore, their future may rest on whether they can return to Super League in 2025.

Some of that panic was stemmed by the club themselves who confirmed on social media that the proposed reduction is 20% and not anything as severe as has been reported elsewhere.

There will be a meeting this Thursday which will involve the clubs of Toulouse, including Stade Toulousain of the Top 14 in rugby union and Toulouse FC, who play in the top tier of French football, Ligue 1.

There, the clubs should receive some clarity on the situation.

Hi Mick,
This information is not true.
The meeting is not about removing the City Council grant for Toulouse professional sports clubs but about a 20% reduction of it.

— Toulouse Olympique XIII (@TOXIII) November 27, 2024